Some Mormons Search the Web and Find Doubt

Originally posted by FlyersFan

■ Is it true that Smith took dozens of wives, some as young as 14 and some already wed to other Mormon leaders, to the great pain of his first wife, Emma? (ex)


- The man claims multiple 'wives' and even steals the wives of others. (at God's command)

Yes, invent a religion that allows for multiple wives, all of us guys bored with just the one we have should be looking into this.
Or at least start up our own cult.
Hmmm, the 72 virgins one is taken,
Hmmmm.....perhaps if they do the deed with me they will be blessed by god?
I like it!
Oh, and they bring offers of beer and smoking greens to get into 'heaven deluxe'.

Let's see, sex ,/ , drugs ,/ Oh yeah, rock and roll! (check ,/)
You'll get to meet the gods of rock!

As a Mormon, I have found stuff on the Internet by happenstance that makes me think, say "Ho-hum" and then continue to practice my faith.

I haven't found anything that has caused me to doubt my faith because my testimony in the truthfulness of the faith is stronger than someone's conjecture on the Internet.

I have had enough experiences of my own to strengthen my testimony. And, I really don't like how some say that practitioners of the faith are somehow suckered in or are oddballs. I'm a science teacher, teach and follow the scientific method, and teach evolution in my classroom, and yet I still believe in the Mormon faith. I hope I'm not considered close-minded by someone on the outside.

If someone has questions about God themselves, they can always consider praying. Nobody would know. Just go to your room, bathroom, closet, out-of-the-way park or whatever and pray. Ask something simple like, "God are you there?"...and sincerely pray.

I can almost promise that you probably won't see a vision or an angel, but if you sincerely seek you'll get an answer.

But the hard part isn't receiving the answer, it's what you do after you receive the answer that's the difficult part.

Originally posted by Openeye
For the most part they are...

They are insulated from opposing viewpoints. One minister delivered a book about the Mormons and the missionaries confiscated it while I was researching Mormonism and referred to the anti-Mormon truth filled book as "spiritual pornography".

Little did I know that the church essentially forbids outside viewpoints for it members. Doing independent research is grounds for a church tribunal which questions the members worthiness to remain a part of the church and that tribunal has nothing to do with that members ability to avoid adultery, fornication, etc.

So, if you join be prepared to regard outside information about the Mormon church as forbidden under penalty of ex-communication. Even though manipulating 14 year old's into marriage by deception is probably the reason why God allowed Smith to meet the fate he did by men with as little or no morals than he had. I think that heaven runs a tighter ship than allowing statutory rape by deception. It definitely didn't occur in the Coast Guard. I'm sure heaven runs a tighter ship or at least as tight as the Coast Guard.

Originally posted by jawnaw2000
As a Mormon, I have found stuff on the Internet by happenstance that makes me think, say "Ho-hum" and then continue to practice my faith.

I haven't found anything that has caused me to doubt my faith because my testimony in the truthfulness of the faith is stronger than someone's conjecture on the Internet.

'truthfulness of the faith'
This contradicts itself, how can faith be truth?

reply to post by Toadmund


Good question.

I don't think it is a contradiction. Faith is just a continued belief in things that are not yet seen, but are still true.

Will the sun rise tomorrow? Sure. Do I know that it won't blow up in the mean time? No. But, I have a firm faith that it will rise tomorrow in the East. Then, once it rises tomorrow morning, that faith turns into knowledge.

Faith let explorers sail over the horizon even though thought the Earth was flat.

Faith says there's dark matter. We don't know for sure, but scientists are pretty certain mathematically and in scientific models.

So, my faith is not yet perfect. But, from what I have experienced I know it's true.

God doesn't reveal everything. When my students learn the four phases of matter, and I tell them there are four phases...am I lying? No really. I just don't think they'd handle the fact that there is also a phase called Bose-Einstein condensate. Someday when they're ready they'll learn it. Just not right now.

I don't know if I'm making any sense. Sorry if I'm not.

You guys don't know the half of it. 37 years as a "Mormon" has gotten me no-wheres. I'm still the lowest peon in the ward and my calling is the church house rest room cleaner. If you don't have a high academic degree, $100,000 a year income or achieved great civil accomplishments, don't waste your time being LDS. Like all religeons, all they want is your money and blind obedience. [sigh]

reply to post by jawnaw2000


As a science teacher, you surely must know better than to believe without truth?

Myself, I have heard ghosts and seen ghosts and a UFO to boot, but I don't really know what I saw or heard and as a science teacher you would tell me to use science to get to the answer and if science could not get to the truth, the explanation would be only a theory.

No proof of a god, only faith, not very scientific.

I prod people on about religion and their beliefs, why?
Because I want to know, but nobody has any answers, just 'faith'

People are selling faith, but I am not buying it.

SCIENCE!

Originally posted by mormonmike
You guys don't know the half of it. 37 years as a "Mormon" has gotten me no-wheres. I'm still the lowest peon in the ward and my calling is the church house rest room cleaner. If you don't have a high academic degree, $100,000 a year income or achieved great civil accomplishments, don't waste your time being LDS. Like all religeons, all they want is your money and blind obedience. [sigh]

edit on 22-7-2013 by mormonmike because: (no reason given)

Spread the 'un-word' brotha!

reply to post by Toadmund


I'll never pretend that I convince you that something is true or not. Only you can find that for yourself.

But, please remember when discussing these things, absence of proof is not proof of absence.

double post

JawNow, I agree with your statement. One important thing to realize here, There are so many questions that are not allowed to be asked. I'm not a stupid person but there is so much to ask and getting answers in the Mormon church only gets you shuned. WE ARE NOT BEING TOLD THE WHOLE STORY and the church authorities don't like questions.

reply to post by mormonmike


Are you still a mormon? If so why stay just leave.

It's a complex situation. I hate this phoney church but I sit quietly with a look on my face that could kill. All for a wife I dearly love [ 37 years ] It's called patience, toleration and endurance. I can't change the brain-washing she was raised with. It took years to figure out the non-sense I got myself into, but, I'll deal with it the best I can.

reply to post by mormonmike


Sounds like Hell dude
Take care and try to destroy it from within

reply to post by loveguy


The undergarments didn't protect someone I know from getting seriously injured in a car accident.

Live and let live I say, but don't force your morals onto me. For the most part Mormons are OK, they are sincere in their beliefs (however wonky) and are much less annoying than the rabid fundamentalist Christians I've met.

They can be stuck up and snobby to non-Mormons sometimes though. I've been denied help by Mormons because I wasn't one. All I needed was to use a telephone to get a ride home after a 4th of July cellebration at a park across the street from their church. I could see the payphone inside, and was told that they didn't have a phone. The man had a Motorola Star Tac on his hip, and I then asked, "Well do any of you have a cell phone I might use? It's a local number..."

Them an with the cell phone looked right at me and said, "No".

I'll never forget being lied to and not offered help. I'm not even very religious and I would have been more helpful.

reply to post by jawnaw2000


I was a person active in religion from childhood. One day, my whole world changed. I was injured physically, and abandoned by everyone, family, freinds, community....even God....or so I felt at that time...

And I began to question... EVERYTHING. I realized I didnt know what I believed anymore. So confused, scared, alone and in pain I began a journey.... which began with an honest heartfelt prayer

"God, if you are real, then You Alone show me your Truth and I will follow."

Then I searched... Beginning at the beginning... from the question is there a Creator ? through, is religion from that Creator or the minds of men? through, which religion is right....?

Years I went through each and every stage and each and every question... argued with atheists and those of faith on every point every one of them had... learned as much as possible from every single book I could read.... learned for years all I could contain....

And at the end of that road... I found a God that was more wonderful and Glorious and Gracious and Merciful and Beautiful than even the most eloquent could describe, as mere words cannot come close to His Truth... Our minds cannot Grasp His reality....

And I found His religion... and I found peace and joy unimaginable.

If I can find Him and HIs Truth... anyone can if they seek with their whole being....

Not everyone agrees, and everyone has to find their own way and their own path... but it is there.....

reply to post by HairlessApe


Silly Darwinist...Didn't you hear he recanted his theory of evolution on his death bed.

reply to post by VeritasAequitas


No he didn't this story was made up by Lady Hope, who was an evangelical Christian and shameless liar.
His own daughter also a devout christian who was with him throughout his final illness said that he never did so.
So silly creationist stop continuing the lie.

I used to know a Mormon woman who was divorced. One day she told me with tears in her eyes that she didn't think she would be able to go to Heaven. I asked her why and she said it was because she divorced her husband for being extremely flirtatious with other women right in front of her, and for treating her like a doormat. She said that in her religion, a woman couldn't go to Heaven unless her husband "called" her to Heaven and she didn't think her ex would be willing to do that. So yes it is a destructive, misogynistic religion that hurts people.

Sal


reply to post by Biigs


The day i have a problem with Mormons, is the day i see a news article about Mormons declaring some sort of war.

They are nice people, leave them be. It may seem silly to us but they are harmless. Scientology should get all the flak the Mormons are getting right now in my opinion, perhaps the Mormons should borrow Scientology's lawyers

Grow up and move on to issues that actually matter or focus on sections of other religions that are destructive.

double